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All options remain open - don't miss the chance to have your say!http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=728903http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=728903
All options remain open - don't miss the chance to have your say

Tuesday, 06 Sep 2016

Hampshire residents have just two more weeks to have their say in the County Council's Serving Hampshire consultation on the future of local government in the county - which closes on 20 September.

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, said: "This consultation is all about how local council services across Hampshire are delivered in future, such as social care, roads, schools, refuse collection, waste recycling centres and country parks. Understandably, these types of services matter to local communities. This is why we are keen to hear from residents before we develop any proposals for the Government to consider.

"As I've stressed before, the County Council's consultation is different from other councils', in as much as we are genuinely listening first and keeping all options open. I take the view that in a democracy you should ask first and decide second, not the other way round.

"This is a fundamental point, as there has been some degree of misrepresentation of our position, by other local councils. Our consultation invites views on a range of options and does NOT propose any one single, preferred way forward. Only when we have heard from the people of Hampshire, will the County Council make any decisions.

"It's a fact that the majority of people in Hampshire are served by at least two councils - Hampshire County Council (responsible for most large-scale services e.g. education, social care and road maintenance), and a district / borough council (responsible for smaller services e.g. planning). Amongst other things, we're asking residents whether the status quo is acceptable - could it be improved, or should a new structure be introduced?

"In considering these options, it's important that we don't lose sight of the scale of the financial challenge that lies ahead of all of us. Hampshire County Council alone will need to find an extra £120 million of on-going savings by 2019, on top of the £340 million it will already have secured by 2017. The district and borough councils will be facing a similarly daunting picture. To date, the County Council has managed to secure savings while maintaining, the high quality services, that Hampshire residents have come to trust and expect.

"It's because we're faced with these challenges, that we're exploring all available options, in order to find a sustainable structure for local government for generations to come. Listening first, before taking fundamental decisions about the future - remains our commitment to the people of Hampshire

]]>Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:07:00 GMTHampshire children invited to get creative by designing a library card in a new competitionhttp://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=727169http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=727169
Hampshire children invited to get creative by designing a library card in a new competition

Monday, 15 August 2016

Hampshire County Council's Library Service is inviting four to eleven year olds to get creative by designing a brand new children's library card.

For the first time ever, a short competition is being run by Hampshire libraries to replace existing library cards for children, with two new fun and vibrant designs by Hampshire children who have completed this year's current Summer Reading Challenge, The Big Friendly Read.

Children will receive an entry form once they finish the Summer Reading Challenge along with their medal and certificate, and can create any design they imagine from now until 30 September. Designs could be inspired by a whole range of favourite animals and characters, including swashbuckling pirates, pretty princesses, daring dragons and lovely ladybirds.

Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside, Councillor Andrew Gibson, said: "We're inviting young children to show off their creative flair by entering the competition and designing the new library card which will be used by thousands of children across our libraries.

"There is still lots of time for children to enter by completing the Summer Reading Challenge in any of Hampshire's libraries when they read any six library books by 18 September.

"Favourite books read on the Summer Reading Challenge are the perfect inspiration for entries which can be drawn in any colour or design. We hope children have fun with their colouring pens and pencils and we're looking forward to receiving a range of designs, we wish everyone the best of luck."

Competition entries are limited to one per child and will be split into two categories; ages four to seven and eight to eleven. Both categories will have a winner and runner up with exciting prizes up for grabs for these four youngsters. The winner of the 4-7 age category will receive a Kindle Fire Kids, and a copy of the book 'Where's Will' while the winner of the 8-11 age category will be given a 3Doodler and a copy of 'Where's Will.'

Designs can be submitted by post, scanning it into a computer or taking a photograph of it and attaching it to an email. Both winners' designs will be made into actual library cards.

All entrants will need to provide a postal address, an email address, telephone number and age in order to be contacted if their entry is chosen.

Competition winners will be selected by a judging panel made up of Hampshire County Council library staff. Winners will be contacted by the end of October.

Inspiration to finish the Summer Reading Challenge and enter the competition can be found thanks to this Hampshire libraries' blog which reveals the current top 10 most popular reads.

Anyone living, working or studying in Hampshire can become a member of Hampshire Libraries by joining online or in person at any Hampshire library to start enjoying a wide range of free resources including books, e-books, e-magazines and language packs.

The Met Office has today issued a Level 3 Heatwave Alert for the South East Region, which is due to last until 0900 on Thursday 19th July.

The trigger level for the South East is 31°c on two or more consecutive days and 16°c during the night.

During a heatwave there are a few groups of people who are at higher risk of suffering from severe health effects.

These include babies and very young children, older people, people with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal problem, Parkinson's disease or severe mental illness. Also, those on medications which affect renal function, sweating or make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Some housing may also affect people's ability to keep cool, such as living near the top of high rise flats or being homeless.

For more information on how to keep yourself and loved ones cool visit NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/heatwave

The Department of Health Heatwave Plan also has some simple advice to help people cope with the heat. These are particularly important for those in the high risk groups in order to avoid suffering ill-effects from the heat:

Stay out of the heat:

Keep out of the sun between 11.00am and 3.00pm

If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf

Avoid extreme physical exertion

Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.

Cool yourself down:

Have plenty of cold drinks, and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.

Eat cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with a high water content.

Take a cool shower, bath or body wash

Sprinkle water over the skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck

Keep your environment cool:

Keeping your living space cool is especially important for infants, the elderly or those with chronic health conditions or who can⦣8364;t look after themselves.

Place a thermometer in your main living room and bedroom to keep a check on the temperature

Keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day, and open windows at night when the temperature has dropped

Close curtains that receive morning or afternoon sun. However, care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat ⦣8364; consider replacing or putting reflective material in-between them and the window space

]]>Tue, 19 Jul 2016 16:29:00 GMTJoin thousands of children in the Big Friendly Read this summer at Hampshire librarieshttp://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=723103http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=723103
Join thousands of children in the Big Friendly Read this summer at Hampshire libraries

Thursday, 07 July 2016

Hampshire County Council's libraries are encouraging children to sign up to this year's Summer Reading Challenge, the Big Friendly Read.

Run by the Reading Agency, the Summer Reading Challenge invites children aged 4 to 11 to read any six library books from 16 July to 18 September at their own pace. Last summer, 16,000 children completed the challenge in Hampshire; let's see if we can beat this figure this year.

Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside, Councillor Andrew Gibson, said: "The summer holidays are a great time for children to maintain and even improve their reading ability with great initiatives like the Summer Reading Challenge.

"This year's theme is the Big Friendly Read, in tribute of well-loved British author Roald Dahl's story The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), and also marks 100 years since Dahl was born. The Summer Reading Challenge harnesses the creativity and sense of adventure found in children's books by inspiring young people to read any library book for fun and enjoyment.

"We wish all the best to the children taking part, and look forward to seeing them at the finish line in September."

The Summer Reading Challenge has reading lists for 4 to 7 year olds, and for 8 to 11 year olds, which are already online. The lists are purely suggestive, and are a great starting point, with books including Good Dog Lion by Alexander McCall Smith; The Bolds by Julian Clary and David Roberts, and The Great Chocoplot by Chris Callaghan.

There are also lots of rewards up for grabs as the challenge progresses, including cards for each book read, and a medal and certificate given to each child who finishes the challenge. The webpage contains all the information on how to sign up at your local library, as well as videos from children on the books they have been enjoying recently.

Hampshire libraries have a lot of different volunteering opportunities so if you want to get involved in supporting your local library and have a few hours spare this summer, you can become a Summer Reading Challenge volunteer.

Families are again invited to take part in the 10 Minute Shake Up - a campaign Hampshire County Council is supporting to help kids keep active this summer.

Keeping kids entertained and active during the long break can be a challenge. To support busy parents and carers, Change4Life and Disney have come together with games and ideas to get kids active in 10 minutes bursts - this year using popular Disney characters including Finding Dory. Also, families can access Finding Dory inspired family swim sessions, in partnership with local pools across Hampshire.

Councillor Patricia Stallard, Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Health and Public Health, said: "By signing up for a 10 Minute Shake Up pack - just search Change4Life online - families will find lots of ideas to keep them active during the holidays. Add to this, a visit to Hampshire's country parks where children can get active outside and explore in lots of open space. Being physically active has a positive impact on children's self esteem and emotional wellbeing, so supporting this campaign is particularly important to me in my role as mental health champion."

The activities help children reach the recommended 60 minutes or more of physical activity they need each day. Moderate to vigorous physical activity is beneficial for a child's physical, social and mental wellbeing. Examples include bike riding, fast running, swimming and football.

Just 21% of boys and 16% of girls currently meet the national recommended levels of physical activity. For Hampshire, it has been estimated that 77,000 boys and 84,000 girls do not meet the recommended target.

2016 marks the third year of this campaign, which aims to shake things up and help more Hampshire's families keep active.

A Library Service fit for the future will be delivered to the people of Hampshire, following one of the largest public consultations held by Hampshire County Council.

The Library Strategy approved today (18 April) has been shaped by the 9,500 responses collected during the consultation. The Strategy will provide an approach to meet customers' demands for a modern service - making the most of emerging digital technologies and investing in library buildings.

Planned improvements include exploring the use of electronic self-service counters to provide extended opening hours in some locations, and the refurbishment of a number of sites to make them bright and more welcoming to visitors.

In addition, the Home Library Service will be expanded to replace the relatively high-cost Mobile Library Service. 62% of consultation respondents were in favour of stopping the Mobile Library Service which is used by just 1% of total library customers, and costs £11.44 per visit per customer, compared to £2.23 per static library visit. Mobile library vehicles are also in need of frequent repair as they near the end of their ten-year leases. As a result, the Mobile Library Service will no longer run after June this year. Additional alternatives offered by the Library Service include:

Working with local communities in the 20 busiest mobile library stops to identify opportunities for volunteers to deliver books to appropriate community gatherings

Offering free online library learning sessions in communities that will no longer have a mobile library stop

Developing links with voluntary sector groups that provide community transport to help rural communities access their local library when they no longer have a mobile stop.

The County Council is facing its most challenging period of prolonged national austerity measures, which has seen huge reductions in the Authority's funding from central Government in recent years. The closure of the Mobile Library Service will contribute £360,000 towards a total library savings target of at least £1.7 million by 2020. Further savings are set to be delivered through a combination of the following approved proposals which also received public support during the consultation:

Withdrawing poorly used library collections such as CDs, games, and DVDs (75% agreed)

Increasing the number of trained volunteers to support paid library staff (58% agreed)

Further details, including the consultation results and a draft of the revised Library Strategy, can be found in the Decision Day report to the Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside.

]]>Mon, 18 Apr 2016 15:47:00 GMTFree books available to help with mental health at Hampshire libraries http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=715489http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=715489
Free books available to help with mental health issues at Hampshire libraries

Thursday, 14 Apr 2016

Hampshire County Council's libraries have joined a national scheme offering free expert-endorsed books to help young people with mental health issues.

'Reading Well' for young people provides 13-18 year olds with high-quality information, support and advice on a wide range of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm, and difficult life pressures, like bullying and exams.

Eleven of Hampshire's biggest libraries are taking part by making a core booklist of 35 books available, which were selected by mental health experts and young people. The list includes influential novels such as 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky and popular non-fiction such as 'My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed' by Nicola Morgan.

The libraries taking part are:

Andover

Basingstoke

Chandler's Ford

Fareham

Farnborough

Fleet

Gosport

Lymington

Petersfield

Waterlooville

Winchester

Library members can also find the books in the online catalogue reserve them and pick them up at a Hampshire library of their choice.

The scheme is delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians and the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians. It is funded by Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust. It is supported by a range of health organisations including NHS England (IAPT), Public Health England, Mental Health Foundation, Mind and YoungMinds.

Did you know you can check your loans, renew and reserve books online, or download e-magazines, audiobooks, or e-books? Visit the Library Service webpages for more information and to get started.

]]>Thu, 14 Apr 2016 09:27:00 GMTHuge response to consultation ahead of Decision Day on County Council's draft Library Strategyhttp://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=711890http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hantswebnewslist.htm?id=711890
Huge response to consultation ahead of Decision Day on County Council's draft Library Strategy

Monday, 14 March 2016

The views of more than 9,500 people will be used to help shape a draft Strategy to transform and modernise Hampshire County Council's Library Service.

Feedback collected during the 11-week public consultation - one of the largest held by the County Council - will be considered by the Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside, Councillor Andrew Gibson, at his Decision Day on 18 April.

Among the consultation's key findings was majority agreement for large parts of the draft Strategy, enabling the service to meet the changing demands of customers, invest in digital technology and make the service more financially sustainable.

Councillor Gibson said: "We are grateful to everyone who responded to the consultation, which received very positive take up and was one of the biggest ever carried out by the County Council. This is a challenging time for the Authority which has seen huge reductions in its central Government funding in recent years. This has affected budgets for all services, and we are looking at savings to the Library Service of at least £1.7 million (14%) by 2020. Nevertheless, I must stress again, that proposals do not at this stage include any plans to close static libraries.

"The views collected during our consultation process have been instrumental in helping to shape the final proposals. I will be carefully considering them, review some interesting ideas put forward, and await comments from the Culture and Communities Select Committee on 22 March, before making a final decision on 18 April."

The consultation included 8,972 responses through an open online and paper consultation and a further 603 Hampshire residents via a telephone survey. The results of the open consultation showed:

50% agreed with investing £500,000 every year, for four years from the Book Fund, to improve buildings.

The consultation showed lower levels of support in some areas, including:

permanently reducing the Book Fund by £500,000 from 2020 onwards

transferring specialist library collections to other providers.

The results of the consultation are set out in the report to the Culture and Communities Select Committee on 22 March. A final decision will by made by Councillor Andrew Gibson, on 18 April, at his Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside Decision Day.

Hampshire County Council is encouraging parents and carers to become 'Sugar Smart'; and use Change4Life's new sugar app to help reduce the amount of sugar their children eat and drink.

The campaign highlights that 4 to 10 year olds consume an estimated 5,500 sugar cubes a year (22kg), weighing the same as an average five-year-old child. In Hampshire, one in five children entering school is overweight or obese, and by the age of 10 to 11 years this rises to almost one in three.

Councillor Patricia Stallard, Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Health and Public Health, said: "It's surprising how much sugar there is in the food and drink we give our children and it can be difficult to know how much sugar we and our families really consume. Statistics show that our children are consuming three times more sugar than the recommended maximum daily amount - the biggest source is sugary drinks - so it's really important to help parents and carers see exactly where the sugar in their children's diet is coming from, so they can choose how to cut down."

Search Change4Life's Sugar Swap campaign to find out how to reduce sugar intake. The Sugar Smart app is also available for free to download now from itunes or Google Play:

In 2013/14, the percentage of overweight and obese children in Year R in Hampshire was 20.8% compared to England at 22.5%. Gosport, Havant and Rushmoor had the highest proportions of overweight and obese year R children. The proportion of children that are overweight and obese rises as they grow older. 28.9% (2013/14) of Year 6 children are overweight and obese, compared to the England figure of 33.5%.

Try something new at Fareham library at a free taster day - from learning crochet to playing the ukulele.

Run by Hampshire County Council, residents can drop in anytime from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, 16 January, to try out different skills and courses including:

learning new instruments such as ukuleles and guitars

traditional crafts such as crochet, sewing and patchwork

art through portrait painting and watercolours

courses to help people into employment and to support those going into or in self-employment.

The County Council's Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside, Councillor Andrew Gibson, said: "Libraries are wonderful places of learning, not just through books but through a wide range of practical courses. You're never too old to broaden your horizons and learn a new skill and I'm sure many people will take advantage of the free taster day to try out new things."

The taster day represents part of Hampshire County Council's support for the national learning offer delivered in libraries. Other offers include improving digital services and inclusion, contributing to the health and wellbeing of local communities, and facilitating access to trusted sources of information.

Many more learning courses are available, which can be found and booked online at www.hants.gov.uk/learning-in-libraries

Hampshire County Council is encouraging residents to sign up to Dry January 2016 and join with those who are taking a month off alcohol after the New Year.

Councillor Patricia Stallard, Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Health and Public Health, said: "A month off alcohol is really good for your health. It boosts your energy levels and improves your sleep, but it also gives you a sense of achievement and can save you money too.

"Alcohol misuse is widespread and its impact far-reaching. Many people do not realise how much they are drinking, especially when they are drinking at home. Dry January is not about never drinking again, it just gives you the opportunity to give your body a break from alcohol, so I would encourage residents to get involved in 2016 and start enjoying the benefits."

Over 1,100 Hampshire residents had a dry January in 2015, joining over two million adults who participated across the UK. Two-thirds of participants were successful at going the whole month dry and 85 per cent of people reported a great sense of achievement after completing a month off alcohol. Last year's campaign also showed that six months later two-thirds of people who took part are still drinking less.

Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable ill health and death in 15 to 49 year olds and is a factor in more than 60 medical conditions, including liver disease, a number of cancers and depression. It is estimated that nearly one in four people in Hampshire drink more than the safe recommended levels of alcohol each week and could be putting their health at risk.

The daily recommended drinking limits are:

Men should not drink over 3-4 units of alcohol per day

Women should not drink over 2-3 units of alcohol per day

Try to take a break for 2 days per week

Search Hampshire Drink less for details of specialist help available locally, if you are worried about your drinking.